Annoyance prickled at me as Grizz and Lenny dragged me out; I could've walked myself—being manhandled was unnecessary.
Grizz grunted from behind us, crossing his massive arms, his expression a mix of skepticism and pity. "Hope you know what you're doing, kid," he said in his deep, rumbling voice. "The boss doesn't make idle threats. You've got until sunrise, and that ain't long."
The words hit me like a hammer. Sunrise. That was all the time I had to face a creature that, by their accounts, had ripped apart anyone who'd ever dared to enter the forest and crossed its path. The darkness of the night already seemed to press in on me, and the idea of the sun rising brought no comfort—it was now a countdown, a ticking clock that marked the hours left in my life. But instead of fear, something else stirred inside me. A stubborn resolve, a refusal to let this be my end.
Lenny snorted, rolling his eyes with a sneer that showed off his sharp teeth. "He'll be dead long before then. That forest monster will tear him apart in minutes, no doubt about it." He said it with such certainty, like it was a known fact that I wouldn't last long. His grin grew wider as if he was already picturing my demise.
I clenched my fists and stood straighter, letting that resolve settle in my bones like steel. No more doubt, no more hesitation. I'd gotten myself into this mess, and I was going to get myself out. Not because I was some hero or because I wanted to play the savior for the lizard-man—I was doing this for me. Because for once, I needed to prove to myself that I wasn't just drifting through life, letting things happen to me. I needed to be the one making things happen.
I turned to the lizard-man, who still lay on the ground, looking broken and defeated. "Get up," I said, my voice firm with a new kind of authority I didn't even know I possessed. "We're going into that forest. Now."
Lenny's words hung heavy in the air, a grim reminder of how slim my chances really were. Until sunrise. That's all the time I had to kill some monster. My legs wanted to collapse beneath me, but I locked my knees, forcing myself to stand taller.
My mind flashed back to Kofi—his fists slamming into me, his voice taunting me, and the helplessness that had eaten away at me for years. Every time I had let him win, every time I'd stayed silent, it was like a piece of me crumbled away. Was that all I was? Just someone who let life happen to him?
Not anymore.
Something about that cave, those trials, had sparked a change I couldn't ignore. I had faced monsters—real ones, not just the kind that existed in schoolyards—and I'd survived. Maybe this was my chance to prove, not just to these beastfolk but to myself, that I could do more than just scrape by. I wasn't just a victim of circumstance anymore. I was taking control.
My hand brushed the ring on my finger, its faint glow a comforting reminder of what I'd already overcome. The fear was still there—it clung to me like a second skin—but now, so was something else. Resolve. If I was going to die trying, at least it would be on my terms.
The lizard-man blinked up at me, his eyes widening in disbelief, the scales around them twitching with fear. "Into the forest? You mean you're actually serious about this?" he stammered, his voice cracking as he shook his head like I was out of my mind. "I, I'll just beg for Radamar to forgive me , anything than to face off that monster myself—I have no intention of going into that forest. Do you know what's waiting for us in those trees? I'm not a fool."
My temper flared, and I felt anger bubbling up in my chest, raw and hot. "You think you have a choice?" I snapped, stepping closer to him, my shadow looming over his slumped form. "Do you even realize that your life depends on me killing that monster? You begged for mercy, and I offered you a chance to live. Now you're telling me you're too scared to take it?"
The lizard-man's eyes darted to mine, then down to the ground. He raised his hands in a placating gesture, trying to calm me down. "I understand, I understand! Just listen to me for a second," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "Even though I can't go into the forest with you—I'd only slow you down, trust me—I can still offer you something that might help. Something to aid you on your journey."
Grizz, who had been silently watching our exchange, gave me a slow nod of approval, his eyes glinting with something that could almost be respect. "You sure about this, kid?" he rumbled, his tone a little softer now. "Risking your life for another... that ain't exactly what most humans would do."
I met his gaze, feeling the weight of his words sink into me. "I'm sure," I said, the words solid and unwavering despite the knot tightening in my stomach. "The words had left my mouth before i realised what i had done but now that its done, there is no going back". I glanced down at the ring on my finger and I felt a small jolt of confidence. I reminded myself that ive been in dangerous situations before and I managed those, so I know I could do this as well.
Lenny let out a low chuckle, but there was no humor in it—just a twisted kind of hunger. "Good luck surviving, human," he said, giving me a mocking grin. "But don't get me wrong. I'm rooting for you to make it back in one piece—just so I can have the pleasure of eating you myself."
With that, Grizz and Lenny turned, their figures fading into the shadows of the settlement like phantoms. The night seemed to swallow them whole, their footsteps silent on the ground. I was left standing alone with Levi, the sky darkening to a deeper shade of blue, the stars like cold eyes watching us from above.
Levi gestured for me to follow him, his movements hesitant at first. "Come with me," he said, his voice steadier now, though there was still a hint of unease in his tone. "I'll take you to my shack. There's something there that might help you."
As we moved through the settlement, I took in the scene around me. The town was alive with activity even at this late hour, filled with beings that defied every natural law I knew. Creatures with the faces of beasts but the posture and movement of humans, their eyes following my every step with a wary curiosity. There were bird-like creatures perched on rooftops, their feathers shimmering in the moonlight, and others with tails and claws, whispering among themselves as they cast sideways glances my way.
I turned to Levi, my curiosity getting the better of me. "What are you people?" I asked, my voice laced with confusion and awe. "Are you... beastfolk or something? Like in those games and anime?"
Levi stopped in his tracks, turning to look at me with an expression that was a mixture of amusement and frustration. "Beastfolk?" he repeated, shaking his head slowly. Yes and No. Based on what your currently reality is like i can see why you think so but originally we were refered to as..... Fae"
Levi sighed, his yellow eyes dimming slightly as he leaned against the rickety wall of his shack. "You don't get it, do you? We weren't always like this." His voice softened, the bitterness replaced by something heavier—regret. "We were gods once. Protectors. The humans built shrines for us, left offerings at our feet. We kept their lands fertile, their rivers flowing, their storms at bay. For a time, it was... peaceful."
He paused, his gaze distant, as if he were staring back through time. "But humans are never satisfied. Their greed grows faster than their gratitude. Some of us saw what was coming and tried to intervene. Balance had to be maintained, and that meant slowing their progress. Sacrifices were... necessary." His voice faltered for a moment before hardening again. "But humans don't take kindly to being told 'no.' To them, we became the villains in their stories. Demons to be hunted. Gods to be overthrown."
His claws traced a long scar running down his arm. "They rose up against us. Some of us were slaughtered outright. Others were betrayed by those they once called allies. The lucky ones were sealed away, left to rot in forgotten tombs. And the rest of us?" His gaze locked onto mine, and there was a weight behind his eyes that made me swallow hard. "We were banished here. To this godforsaken limbo, where we're nothing but remnants of what we used to be."
I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat. What could I even say? Levi's words hung in the air like smoke, suffocating and impossible to ignore."
A place for the forgotten, the unwanted. A few of our brothers learned to blend in, to hide among humans, to avoid being hunted down. There are a few who are still worshipped to this day while others try to build a following and others... well, they embraced the darkness and truly became what you now call- Demons"
The weight of Levi's words sank into me like a stone. "Oh wow," was all I could manage to say, my voice barely a whisper. My mind raced, trying to process the revelation that these beings were once gods, protectors, and that their fall from grace was tied to the rise of human civilization itself.
Levi gave a small nod, as if understanding my shock. "And what about you, human?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Where do you come from?"
"Jamaica," I answered, still reeling from everything I'd just learned.
"Jamaica?" Levi said, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean Xyamica."
"That's the one," I replied, surprised that he knew of my homeland.
"Xyamica," Levi repeated, his tone thoughtful. "That's where the demi-god Anansi resided. His children took over. Are there still tales to this day—River Mama, the soucouyant, Ol' Hige, and—"
Levi was suddenly cut off as a boy, this one with a face that looked like a young wolf, came running into the shack. He was out of breath, his chest heaving as he struggled to speak.
"Levi!" the wolf-faced boy panted, eyes wide with a mix of excitement and fear. "I heard you're going to face the monster in the forest!" He clutched his side, trying to steady his breathing as he looked between us, his expression urgent and almost pleading.
Levi's eyes narrowed slightly, a look of concern flickering across his face. "Well Wayne, it seems like word travels fast," he said with a hint of a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
I felt the weight of the situation press down on me even more heavily now. The stakes were higher than ever.
Wayne approached me cautiously, his ears twitching nervously as his golden eyes darted between me and Levi. He looked younger than I expected, his wolf-like face framed by soft fur that gave him an almost innocent appearance.
"You're Jeremiah, right?" he asked, his voice tentative but steady.
"Yeah," I replied, giving him a small nod. "And you're Wayne?"
He grinned, a little sheepishly, his sharp teeth catching the faint light of the torches. "That's me. Levi's assistant... or, well, helper," he said with a shrug. "I help him out with fixing stuff—tools, weapons, things like that."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You're good with that kind of thing?"
He lifted something from his side and held it up for me to see. It was the start of a crude metal claw, partially assembled and held together with bits of scrap. "I tinker around," he said, turning the piece over in his hands. "This one's not finished yet, but it's supposed to be a grappling claw. It'll grab onto stuff and pull it down when I'm done."
I leaned in, studying the piece. "That's impressive," I said honestly. "You just... make these things?"
"Yeah," he said with a shy smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's not perfect, but it works. Keeps me busy, y'know?"
I nodded, my curiosity piqued. "Looks like it could be useful. You might have a knack for this."
Wayne gave a small chuckle, his ears twitching slightly. "Thanks. Maybe I'll finish it up sometime, and you can see how it works."
"Looking forward to it," I said, meaning it. Wayne's quiet skill was a welcome surprise, and I couldn't help but think he'd be someone worth having around.
Levi explained to Wayne, that I was the one who would actually be going to face the monster.
I asked, "What kind of monster is it, exactly?" but they both just stared at me, blank-faced. They didn't know. All they knew was that it was very large and it leave broken tree in it trail.
Wayne shrugged. "We've asked the boss to deal with it plenty of times, but he just ignores the request. And anyone who tries to go after it... well, they never come back."
He continued, "Lenny and Grizz could probably take it down, but the boss won't risk his best men. So we just avoid the deep parts of the forest as best we can. It's not that hard, especially since it tends to stick to the wilder areas."
Levi rummaged through a dusty crate in the corner of his shack, muttering to himself. After a moment, he pulled out a battered leather chest piece and some knee guards, shoving them into my hands. "Here," he said, his voice gruff. "This won't stop claws or fangs, but it might save you from getting gutted right away."
I slipped the chest piece on, the leather stiff and worn. It smelled faintly of earth and sweat, and I couldn't help but wonder how many others had worn it before me—and what had happened to them.
He glanced around the room, looking frantic, as if he was hoping to find something else but couldn't.
"I should probably get going now," I said, more to myself than to anyone else. I couldn't afford to waste any more time.
I started to walk toward the door, but Levi called out, trying to get me to wait a little longer while he continued searching for whatever he thought might help. I didn't stop. I was too busy trying to psych myself up, muttering under my breath to build my confidence and optimism.